Lead stood in the safe house, surrounded by the remnants of their hurried packing. The air was thick with anticipation and a hint of anxiety as they prepared for their next steps.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay heading back to France?” Lead asked, turning to Cyto and Allelea. The three of them had been through so much together, and the thought of parting ways, even temporarily, was bittersweet.
Cyto nodded, his expression resolute as he picked up a suitcase. “Yes, we’ll be fine. We need to regroup with the rest of the team in France and continue our work there.”
Allelea gave Lead a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll stay in touch and keep you updated on our progress.”
Lead sighed, feeling the weight of their separation. “Alright. Just be careful, both of you.”
“We will,” Cyto said, clapping Lead on the shoulder. “Good luck with your mission in the USA. We’ll see you soon.”
As they finalized their plans, Lead’s smartwatch vibrated again. He pressed the digital crown, which intuitively recognized his fingerprint and began playing a message.
Agent C-14, you will be heading to Cambridge, Massachusetts.
REMINDER: Your plane number is CD123246, seat number B16, business class, window seat.
Departure: 1205 hours, Arrival: 1725 hours. Go to hall #4, and ask someone this phrase, "Where's the best pizza place here?"
Answer has to be, "I don't know, maybe Pizza Hut." If they answer something else, try a different person.
With a final wave, Lead watched as Cyto and Allelea headed towards the door. He took a deep breath and turned towards his own preparations, ready to begin the next phase of his journey.
The drive to the airport was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Lead couldn’t help but think about the challenges ahead and the importance of their mission. As he arrived at the airport, he checked his watch again, noting the time. 11:45, he was in time for his plane.
“Alright, let’s do this,” he muttered to himself, stepping out of the car. He quickly paid the driver, and walked toward the big terminal.
The airport was a mess of halls and gates, and it was tricky to find out which one was which. Hall #4 was shown only on signboards - it must have been a long distance away.
Lead navigated through the bustling airport, his eyes scanning the signs for Hall #4. The instructions from his smartwatch replayed in his mind, adding to his sense of urgency. He finally spotted the sign and quickened his pace, weaving through the crowd.
As he approached Hall #4, he noticed a group of people gathered near a small café. He took a deep breath and approached a man who seemed to be waiting alone, eyes darting about.
“Excuse me,” Lead said, trying to keep his voice steady. “Where's the best pizza place here?”
The man looked up, his expression neutral, but eyes widening slightly. “I don't know, maybe Pizza Hut.”
Relief washed over Lead. “Thanks,” he replied, subtly smiling at the man. He nodded and walked away, blending into the crowd. He turned around for a split second, then motioned for Lead to follow.
Lead continued towards his gate, following the man, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. He checked his watch again. 11:55. He had just enough time to make it through security and board his flight.
As he reached the security checkpoint, his phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced at the screen and saw a notification from his watch.
**URGENT: New Intel Received. Possible Threat at Cambridge. Proceed with Caution.**
Lead's heart skipped a beat. The mission was already proving to be more complicated than he had anticipated. He quickly cleared security thanks to his mysterious pizza fan guide, and made his way to the gate, his mind racing with the new information.
Boarding the plane, Lead settled into his seat and stared out the window wistfully, a water bottle in hand. He didn't seem to bothered when the water formed a lip gloss-esque layer over his lips, slightly extending up into a transparent mustache over his clean-shaven face.
This was even more evident in the fact that he didn't bother to wipe the water off when he noticed a particular notification on his phone.
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8eGB2bS5d
WHATSAPP VIDEO CALL
Aurelia but not really
(Accept) (Decline)
12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3RFSqLQho
He only laughed a bit when he saw the contact name he'd saved. The new Aurelia, still clueless as ever, was definitely more helpful, and for once, he didn't feel like he had missed out on a month or three of inside jokes.
But he had no one to share the few he had with.
He picked up his phone, and clicked the green button. "Hey, what's up?"
The pixels of her eyebrows seemed to curve a bit, when she got straight to the point- "Are you on a plane?"
He switched to the phone's back camera and showed off the view. "Take a guess,"
"Very funny. But where are you going?"
"Didn't I tell?"
"No, you just said in the United States and that's it."
"Cambridge, Massachusetts..." he said confidently, before both pairs of eyes widened at the realization. "wait... oh, what a coincidence!"
"Whatever it is, I'll take it!" she answered with a huge grin. "Makes trying to convince my parents to let me, Thalia and Aunt Thea meet you a whole lot easier."
"I don't think they're bound by your parents' rules, but okay. I guess your parents should trust your aunt, don't they?"
"If this was in your book, then no. I don't think my dad would be caught dead approving that one. Otherwise yes... hopefully. But I'm 19, meaning legally I am an adult..." Aurelia shrugged, her expression slightly softening. "Though I feel like an overgrown baby sometimes.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZfcaW5hRl
Lead chuckled at Aurelia’s comment, feeling a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a while. “You’ll be fine, Aurelia. You’re stronger than you think.”
She smiled, her eyes softening. “Thanks, Lead. Stay safe, okay?”
“I will. You too,” he replied, feeling a pang of longing as the call ended. He stared at the blank screen for a moment before slipping his phone back into his pocket.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
